Destined to Lead

Bali Working to Provide Historical and Knowledge to Local Guides at Key Tourist Destinations

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(9/1/2013)

Local guides who offer there services at various tourist attraction in Bali are being encouraged to increase their local knowledge in order to improve in the visitor experience.

Bali Daily (The Jakarta Post) quotes Amos Lio, a spokesman for the Indonesian Tour Guide Association (HPI), describing the need for local guides well informed on their locales, saying: “In places like Besakih, the mother temple in Karangasem regency, and Kintamani, local guides who understand the history and culture of the places would be helpful for visitors to learn more.”

Lio explained that while HPI has many registered guides, the rapid increase in tourist numbers means that well-trained new guides are urgently needed.

Continuing, Lio said: “In addition to providing training to the locals, this would also empower local residents to get involved in tourism. It would be beneficial to the local people to get professional guide training in these places.”

HPI says the skill sets needed by local guides include communication skills, and historical and local information.

Describing the challenge of working in an international setting, Lio said: “Visitors from certain countries may have different characteristics and habits from others. A good guide must understand how to properly interact with them.”